A camera may be used to acquire digital images. For example, a camera may include an image sensor that includes an array of light sensing elements that sample light from an image scene. An image sensor may include a read circuit that scans out the pixel values stored in the light sensing elements. The pixel values scanned out of the light sensing elements may be assembled into a digital image.
Camera motion may taint a digital image. For example, camera motion may cause image blur in a digital image. Small handheld cameras and handheld devices that include a camera may be particularly vulnerable to image blur caused by camera motion.
A camera may be equipped with a motion sensor that enables compensation for the negative effects of camera motion. For example, a motion sensor may be used with an optical compensation mechanism to counter camera motion in real-time. An optical compensation mechanism may increase the cost of a camera and may be particularly unsuitable for a camera contained in a handheld device. The cost and bulk of an optical compensation mechanism may be avoided applying a correction to a digital image. For example, the speed and direction of camera motion measured by a motion sensor may be used to derive a transfer function for correcting the pixel values of a digital image.
Prior examples of motion sensors in a camera include gyroscopes and accelerometers. Unfortunately, equipping a camera with a gyroscope or an accelerometer may increase the cost of a camera and may undesirably increase the bulk as well as cost of a handheld device that contains a camera.